Paxman described the iconic bikes as “rubbish, lumbering and uncomfortable” although the mayor hit back saying they were “beautiful machines”. He also asked the mayor why it was “such a bloody nightmare” cycling in London.

Later Mr Johnson said there would be a "lot of people who are very sad to see him go because he has kept the nation entertained - if not always awake - for many, many years".

During the broadcast Paxman also interviewed Peter Mandelson, at one point asking the former Labour spin doctor if ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair had "gone a bit nuts".

He also said recent polls suggested Ed Miliband had about as much appeal “as a flatulent dog in a lift”.

One of Paxman's most famous interviews was with then Home Secretary Michael Howard in 1997, when he asked 12 times whether Mr Howard had threatened to overrule prisons chief Derek Lewis.

Towards the end of Paxman's final Newsnight broadcast, Mr Howard appeared and was simply asked: "Did you?"

He replied: "No Jeremy, I didn't, but feel free to ask another 11 times."

Paxman ended the broadcast with the words: "Thank you for watching Newsnight. I hope you continue to enjoy it. Goodnight and goodbye."

He was also known for presenting a brief weather forecast on Newsnight - "shorn of the usual folksy nonsense about clouds bubbling up and advice about wearing woolly socks".

After the credits on his final broadcast to the song I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing, Paxman appeared in front of a weather map and said: "And tomorrow's weather - more of the same. I don't know why they make such a fuss about it."

During his tenure, the 63-year-old earned a reputation as one of the most fearless and feared interviewers.

The mayor also once offered to be Paxman's campaign manager if he ever stood for leader of the Conservative Party.

The BBC said the journalist had decided to leave the BBC Two programme last summer, but "generously agreed" to stay to help the show through "a difficult period".

In 2012, Newsnight hit the headlines after news of its decision not to run an item linking Jimmy Savile with child abuse, was made public.

Later that year, a report on the programme led to Conservative peer Lord McAlpine being wrongly implicated in child sex abuse allegations.

Editor Peter Rippon left his post and was replaced by former Guardian deputy editor Ian Katz last year.

Director general Tony Hall described Paxman as "a rare and dazzling talent", while the corporation's head of news, James Harding, said he had become the "great lion of BBC journalism" who "never failed to ask the difficult questions".

Paxman will continue to front BBC Two quiz University Challenge and other documentary programmes.